


The Military Connection (Extended Version)

by nweeks3



Series: My Complete Pitch Perfect Story - Part 4 [1]
Category: Pitch Perfect (Movies)
Genre: F/F, F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-02
Updated: 2021-03-06
Packaged: 2021-03-12 01:00:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 6,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28501863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nweeks3/pseuds/nweeks3
Summary: In a re-telling of the third movie, Aubrey's new fiance accompanies her and the other Bellas on the USO Tour. See A/N in Chapter 1 for details.
Relationships: Aubrey Posen/Original Male Character(s), Cynthia-Rose Adams/Denise
Series: My Complete Pitch Perfect Story - Part 4 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1197043
Kudos: 2





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I'm surprised I didn't think of this before, but in this extended version, it not just includes scenes from the version you saw the first time around, but it'll also include the first two chapters that were part of Where Are They Now (said story has now been taken down) since they are set during the timeline of this story.
> 
> Set over the course of 2 years and will feature scenes from the third movie with a twist and a bonus character.

In June 2016, one year after the Bellas won Worlds, Beca planned to call Chloe with some exciting news.

"Hey, Beca," Chloe said, answering her phone.

"Chloe, I have the most exciting news!" Beca said, feeling ecstatic.

"Tell me!" Chloe said, eager to know.

"You know how I've been interning at that recording studio for the past two years, right?" Beca asked.

"Yeah," Chloe confirmed.

"Well, my boss just recommended me to someone who works at another recording studio in New York City," Beca said.

"No way! Beca, that's awesome!" Chloe said

"I know. It may seem like an adventure," Beca said.

"Well, if anyone can handle the Big Apple, it's you," Chloe said.

"Yeah. So what are your plans for the future?" Beca asked.

"Well, after we graduated, I just relaxed for a few months, and then I went on job interviews," Chloe said.

"Did you get in somewhere?" Beca asked.

"At one point I did, but sadly the job didn't last very long," Chloe said.

"Well, since I'm going to New York for my new job, would you be open to living in an apartment with me?" Beca asked.

"Are you kidding? I'd love to," Chloe said.

"Great, I leave in a few days so let's meet up beforehand so we can get a flight to JFK," Beca said.

"Sounds good to me. See you soon," Chloe said, hanging up.

A few days later as Beca went to Chloe's house to help her pack for the move to New York, Amy rang the doorbell.

"Hey, Amy. What's up?" Chloe said, answering.

"Not much. Just thought I'd see how things are going," Amy said.

"Well, Beca and I are getting ready to move to New York," Chloe said.

"Sounds like fun," Amy said.

"What are you doing?" Chloe asked.

"Well, you know me; I'm an open book. I don't have any set plans right now," Amy said.

"Would you want to come to New York with us?" Chloe asked.

"Yeah! I can definitely see all three of us being roommates," Amy said.

"Well, come on in," Chloe said, letting Amy in.

"Amy, nice to see you," Beca said.

"You too, Beca," Amy said.

"Is it true? You're coming to New York with us?" Beca asked.

"Yeah. I just need time to pack, and I'll see you over there soon," Amy said.

"Sounds good. Chloe and I are about to leave for the airport. So I guess we'll meet up then," Beca said.

"You know it. See you in a couple days," Amy said.

All three of them did make it to New York and were now living in a small apartment in Brooklyn.

"Well, needless to say, this apartment is smaller than I pictured," Chloe said, slightly disappointed.

"Yeah, but as long as we can afford this, we'll have to make it work," Amy said.

"Well, I don't know about you guys, but I'd like to get settled in for a moment. Then I'm going to go check out this recording studio I'll be working at," Beca said.

"Cool. Maybe Amy and I could look for jobs here as well," Chloe said.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know some fans ship Aubrey together with three different Bellas. But in accordance with a personal rule of mine regarding romantically pairing characters together, I decided to leave those shippings alone and follow my own path.

One month later on July 13th, a guy in a Camaro drove to the Lodge of Fallen Leaves hoping for directions. When he arrived, he rang the front desk bell summoning Aubrey.

"Welcome to the Lodge of Fallen Leaves. Can I help you?" Aubrey asked.

"Yeah. I'm looking for a good place to stay around here. Can you recommend something?" Chad asked.

"Sure. Are you from out of town?" Aubrey asked.

"No. Actually, I live around here. Just had to get away from the house for a couple of days," Chad said.

"Why?" Aubrey asked.

"My mom and I haven't been on good terms lately," Chad said.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Aubrey said.

"Thanks. How much is a room or whatever you'd have here? Maybe I'll stay for a bit," Chad said.

Aubrey sold him a room and as she was showing him around, "So, do you live with your mom?"

"Yeah. She's been having a rough time. My dad joined the military, so she's been relying on me a lot," Chad explained.

"Your dad's in the military? Mine too!" Aubrey said.

"No way! Which branch?" Chad asked.

"Army," Aubrey said.

"Air Force," Chad said.

"Wow. I can't believe we have that in common," Aubrey said.

"I know, right. I'm Chad by the way," he said, prompting a handshake.

"Aubrey," she said, accepting the handshake.

"Nice to meet you. Say, I know this may be a lot to ask, but could I get your number?" Chad asked.

"Sure," Aubrey said.

Chad handed Aubrey his phone and she put her number in. She then used his phone to text herself so he would have her number. Once that was done, she handed his phone back to him before leading him to one of the available guest rooms she had.

* * *

Two days later, Aubrey and Chad had their first date at a diner.

"So, what made you decide on the diner?" Aubrey asked.

"I remember you saying you're allergic to certain seafoods, so I wanted to find a good restaurant to accommodate that," Chad explained.

"Yeah, just basically lobsters and crawfish," Aubrey confirmed.

"A lot of sit down restaurants have some seafood on their menu, so I didn't want to take a chance," Chad said.

"I really appreciate that," Aubrey said.

"So, tell me a little about you," Chad said, curiously.

"Well, I really love to sing. I was part of an acapella group in college called the Barden Bellas," Aubrey said.

"Really? You know I happen to be a rather good singer too," Chad said.

"No way!" Aubrey said, feeling excited.

Suddenly, Chad's curiosity peaked, "True. So tell me more about the Barden Bellas."

Aubrey filled him in from the beginning of what she could remember, "Well, senior year my friend Chloe and I led the Bellas and we both ended up making a big group of friends that year."

"Well, that's great! It sounds like you still have a great bond. Do you still stay in touch with them?" Chad asked.

"Yeah, but getting the group started that year was not as easy as you might think," Aubrey recalled. "Nearly everyone disagreed with my decision, it was rough, but we got through it. I didn't want to take a lot of suggestions, but they helped me see a different way."

"Why wouldn't you take suggestions from people? If you did, it would've made you a better leader. In time, it would've been a lot easier to earn the respect of the whole group," Chad said.

Aubrey remembered how difficult it was for her, "Well, this one girl who I was skeptical about having in the Bellas came along, and after she got in, she convinced me that more modern music was the way to go."

"That's amazing! They sound like an amazing group of women. I'd love to meet them," Chad said.

"Oh, they are. I think you'd like them. Especially since the Bellas have won three national championships and a World championship," Aubrey said.

* * *

The day after Aubrey and Chad's first date Aubrey had a phone conversation with Chloe.

"It was amazing! He took me to the local diner for lunch and we had a lot to talk about," Aubrey said, recalling that tender moment.

"Really? Like what?" Chloe asked.

"Well, it turns out his dad's in the military, and he likes to sing too," Aubrey recapped.

"That's awesome! Wait, he wasn't a Treblemaker when we were in college, was he?" Chloe asked.

"No. He didn't even go to Barden. He went to Tampa University and they don't even have an acapella group, just a standard choir," Aubrey explained.

"That makes sense, I mean even though that oath is a thing of the past, I know you'd still never date a Treblemaker," Chloe said.

"You got that right. Well, I enjoy our phone conversations, but my break's almost over, so I must get back to work. Later," Aubrey said, hanging up.

After the conversation, Aubrey couldn't stop staring at the one picture in her phone of her and Chad. She took the picture outside the diner they had their first date. Yeah, she had boyfriends prior to him, but those relationships didn't stand out as much. So, it made her wonder what was so different about Chad. Whatever it was, she was sure to realize it at some point. In fact, after her shift, she couldn't wait to call him again.


	3. Chapter 3

On August 11th, Aubrey drove up to the house where Chad and his mother were living.

"Is this the place?" Aubrey asked before getting out of her car to ring the doorbell.

"Aubrey!" Chad exclaimed, answering the door.

"Chad!" Aubrey said as the two shared a hug.

"So glad you could make it. Come on in," Chad said, motioning for Aubrey to enter the house.

"Nice place you got here," Aubrey said.

"Thanks," Chad said as his mother, Kathy Donaldson came out of the kitchen.

"Oh, I didn't know we had company tonight," Kathy said.

"Yes. Mom, this is my girlfriend, Aubrey," Chad said, introducing her.

"It's nice to meet you, Aubrey," Kathy said, shaking Aubrey's hand, impressed with her firm handshake.

"Likewise," Aubrey said, accepting the handshake.

"And I'm so glad you could join us for dinner tonight. Why don't you both have a seat at the table? Dinner will be ready shortly," Kathy said before Chad escorted Aubrey to the table.

* * *

Despite a few ups and downs, the dinner with Chad's mom went smoothly for the young couple. Chad's mom definitely approved of Aubrey which was a good sign for their relationship. Starting the week of August 19th, Aubrey and Chad agreed to three date nights a week. Though they weren't always on the same days every week due to both of their work schedules. Things worked out so well, that by October 13th, Chad was prepared for one of the biggest decisions of his life. One he wasn't sure how his mother would react to it. And the info all went down at the dinner table.

"Mom, I've come to a decision in life," Chad said, feeling slightly awkward at a loss for words.

"Oh, I hope it's a good one," Kathy said.

"I think it is. I'm saving up all my work paychecks to buy an engagement ring," Chad announced.

"Already?!" Kathy asked.

"Yeah," Chad said.

"But you and Aubrey have only been dating for three months. Have you really thought this through?" Kathy asked.

"I have. I know it's a longshot, but Dad once said, 'If you want something in life, don't be afraid to go after it,'" Chad explained.

"I guess that makes sense. You sure learned a lot from your father. You're not planning on proposing to her tonight are you?" Kathy asked.

"Oh, no. I'm spending New Year's Eve with her. And at the stroke of midnight is when I plan to pop the question," Chad explained.

"Then for your sake, good luck to you," Kathy said.

"Thanks, Mom. You're the best," Chad said.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> During the campfire scene in the second movie, CR revealed that she would be moving to Maine to get married. So let's say this wedding happened before the events of the third movie.

On October 14th, CR was coming home to her apartment in Maine.

"Hi, honey. I'm home," CR said, entering the door.

She noticed her fiance Denise looking online for apartments with more space than their current one.

"Oh, hey, CR. Didn't hear you come in. I was thinking about getting a bigger more roomy apartment elsewhere since we're running out of space in this one," Denise said.

"Well, if that's what you're looking for, I can recommend a place," CR said.

"I'm listening..." Denise said.

"I recently found out from Beca, Chloe, and Amy that they're now living in an apartment in Brooklyn. So, I was thinking maybe we should move someplace close to them," CR suggested.

"I'm on board with this. I haven't seen all of the Bellas since I transferred schools," Denise said.

"Well, there you go. I'll help you look at places and if I see something I like, I'll give you the details," CR said.

CR and Denise looked at multiple apartments until they finally agreed on one.

"Ooh, what's this one?" Denise asked.

"Looks like what we've needed. A more roomy kitchen, an extra bedroom in case we decide to have a child, and it's not far from where some of the Bellas live," CR said.

"Cool. So, where is this apartment?" Denise asked.

"It's located in Passaic, New Jersey," CR said.

"Hmm...not familiar with that city, but it could work," Denise said.

"Then it's settled!” CR agreed. “We'll go check out the place tomorrow."

CR and Denise did get that more roomy apartment in Passaic. Once they were happy with having more space, they decided to make future plans.

"Hey, Denise. You know how we've been saving up for our wedding over the past year?" CR asked.

"Yeah. Are you thinking..." Denise asked.

"Yep. I think it's finally time to put our wedding together," CR said.

"Great idea! Let's work out the details and then we'll make some phone calls," Denise suggested.

After going through their finances and possible venues, they were able to agree on a wedding day and made phone calls right away. They planned on a small wedding, so they only invited each others' parents as well as all the Bellas. Everyone invited would be attending.

"Well, we're a success!” CR exclaimed. “We have the venue, we have the wedding date picked out, everyone invited will be coming. There's just one thing left..."

"What's that?" Denise asked.

"We need someone to officiate the wedding," CR said.

"Do you have anyone in mind?" Denise asked.

Upon hearing her fiance’s inquiry, CR picked up her phone, "I know  _ exactly _ who to ask.”

"Hey, Cynthia," Aubrey asked, answering her phone.

"Hey. Aubrey. I hope I didn't catch you at a bad time," CR said.

"Not at all. And let me just say, I'm really excited about the wedding," Aubrey said.

"Oh, that is so good to hear. Because I have a favor to ask you," CR said.

"What's that?" Aubrey asked.

"Denise and I need an officiant for our wedding and since you were my first choice, would you be up for the job?" CR asked.

"I'd be honored to be your officiant, Cynthia," Aubrey said, happily.

"Great. I'm looking forward to seeing you soon," CR said.

"You too. Later," Aubrey said, hanging up.

On October 24th, CR and Denise had their wedding outdoors in a gazebo. It had three stairs leading up to the platform. There were beautiful autumn flowers used to decorate the gazebo for the couples’ special day. They were lucky that it wasn't too cold and it didn't rain. Otherwise, they'd have to either choose an indoor venue or wait until the weather warmed up again. 

"Dearly beloved, we're gathered here today to join these two beautiful women in holy matrimony," Aubrey said. "Do you Cynthia-Rose Adams take Denise Williams to be your lawfully wedded wife?"

"I do," CR said.

"And do you Denise Williams take Cynthia-Rose Adams to be your lawfully wedded wife?" Aubrey asked.

"I do," Denise said.

"By the power vested in me, by the state of New Jersey, I now pronounce you two wife and wife," Aubrey said as the two brides kissed.

While all the guests were applauding for the newly married couple, this exchange was happening...

"They are so cute together," Chloe said.

"Agreed," Beca said.

"I hope that'll be me one day," Stacie said.

"You and me both, Stacie," Chloe said.

"Trust me, ladies, it could happen to any of us any day. Only time will tell," Beca said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So let's answer a few inquiries. Due to where I have CR & Denise's wedding set might lead you to ask the following questions:  
> 1) If CR & Denise got married before the events of the third movie, why wasn't Denise actually IN the third movie? Unfortunately, I don't have an answer for that. So, I won't even bother with theories on that (and no, they will not be getting divorced).  
> 2) For those of you who know about my personal rule about romantically pairing characters together, I will explain this:  
> CR is already allowed past the radar regarding this rule.   
> As far as Denise goes...after we hear her say in the first movie "I still love you." to CR after CR's gambling confession, it implies that at one point they were in a relationship.  
> So if that's the case, I decided that was close enough for me to go with it.  
> 4) Since the wedding happened when Aubrey & Chad were dating, was he at THIS wedding? Not exactly. But don't be deceived, Aubrey was only away for CR & Denise's wedding for three days. I would also like to thank RizzV825 for suggesting the idea of moving CR to New Jersey.


	5. Chapter 5

Chad and Aubrey had been dating for five months, and on New Year's Eve at 11:59 p.m., Chad was prepared to make a bold move.

"One more minute!" Aubrey said, feeling excited.

"How exciting, babe!" Chad said, feeling elated.

"I can't imagine what 2017 has in store for us," Aubrey said.

"I know, right?!" Chad said.

As the ball drop continued on TV, they both counted down to the new year.

"Ten, Nine, Eight," they hollered and counted down to one. "HAPPY NEW YEAR!" They both yelled as the two shared a midnight kiss and clinked together glasses of champagne.

"You know, there's only one way I can think of to start the new year perfectly..." Chad said.

"What's that?" Aubrey asked as Chad pulled out a small box containing an engagement ring and got down on one knee.

"Aubrey Posen...will you marry me?" Chad asked as Aubrey looked at the ring feeling speechless for a few seconds before giving an answer.

"YES! I'd be honored to marry you!" Aubrey happily said as Chad put the ring on Aubrey's finger and they shared a kiss before going to bed.

* * *

At about 9 a.m. Chad returned home after spending New Year's Eve with Aubrey feeling the happiest he'd ever been before.

"Mom, I'm home," Chad yelled, coming into the house.

"Hey, Chad. How was New Year's Eve with Aubrey? Did she say yes?" Kathy asked.

"Well, Mom, I am excited to announce that Aubrey and I are officially...ENGAGED!" Chad announced, prompting a gasp from his mother.

"Oh, honey, I am so proud of you. You finally found the woman you want to marry," Kathy said as the mother and son shared a hug.

"You have no idea, Mom," Chad said as the two broke away from their hug.

"This is the happiest I've been since your father enlisted in the Air Force," Kathy admitted.

"Maybe one of these days we'll see him again. But he's always in our thoughts. In fact, I plan to write to him today about my engagement. I'm going to go get started on my letter right now!" Chad said as he went upstairs to his bedroom.

* * *

On January 13th, Kathy started noticing Chad packing up his room.

"You moving away?" Kathy asked.

"Aubrey and I talked it over and now that we're engaged, I decided I'm finally ready to move in with her. She's got enough space in her apartment for me, so it should work out no problem," Chad explained.

"Well, just promise you'll come and visit periodically," Kathy asked.

"Of course I will," Chad said as he and his mother shared an emotional hug before he resumed packing.

* * *

On Valentine's Day 2017, Aubrey was wearing a full-length red cocktail dress when Chad came home.

"Aubrey, I'm home. You'll never guess what I got you," Chad said, holding a bouquet of roses.

Aubrey gasped, "Awww, Chad, you got me roses?"

"Do you like them?" Chad asked.

"They're so beautiful. This was so thoughtful of you. Thank you, Chad. And Happy Valentine's Day," Aubrey said.

"Same to you, Aubrey," Chad said as the two shared a kiss.

"So where are we going for dinner tonight?" Aubrey asked.

"I got us reservations at this Italian place a few blocks from here," Chad said.

"Sounds great. Lead the way," Aubrey said as the two headed for Chad's car.

Chad drove her to an Italian restaurant nearby where he had already made reservations. It was their first Valentine's Day together since they got engaged. They had a lot to talk about that evening, such as their future and how happy they were that they found each other. They both decided to split a pizza and whatever they couldn't finish, they got a to-go box for. When the dinner ended, they both drove back to their place and put their leftovers in the fridge before sitting down on the couch to enjoy a romantic movie.


	6. Chapter 6

On April 8th, 2018, in Beca, Chloe, and Amy's apartment, Beca was making chili when Amy walked into the kitchen.

Amy smelled a good aroma in the air, "I'm starving. When's dinner going to be ready?"

"Chili's almost done," Beca said as Chloe walked in.

"Hey, guys. I'm home," Chloe said.

"Hey, Chloe. Dinner's almost ready," Beca said.

"Ooh, it smells delicious," Chloe said.

"I found this chili recipe online and I thought I'd try making it," Beca said.

"Well, I hope it comes out well," Chloe said as Beca put a spoon inside the chili to taste.

"Here, Chloe; care for a taste?" Beca asked, stopping herself when she noticed Chloe was in her old Bellas uniform. "Uh, why are you wearing that? Did you wear that to work? I thought we got rid of those old uniforms years ago."

"Well, I kept mine because it reminded me of a special time. Also, because tonight's the Bellas reunion at the Brooklyn Aquarium," Chloe said.

"That's tonight?" Beca asked.

"Yeah. I figured we'd head over there after dinner," Chloe suggested.

"Alright, well I'll go ahead and serve up the chili. We'll leave in about an hour," Beca said.

She got three bowls out of the cupboard and poured the chili in each one of the bowls before placing them on the kitchen table.

* * *

Later that evening, Aubrey and Chad met up with the other Bellas at the Brooklyn Aquarium.

As the Bellas greet each other, they noticed a guy with Aubrey they've never met before.

"Hey, Aubrey, who's this guy?" Chloe asked.

"Oh, pardon my manners; everyone, this is my fiance, Chad. The same guy I've been telling you about for quite some time," Aubrey said.

"Nice to finally meet you all. Aubrey's told me great things about you Bellas," Chad said.

"I'm sure she has. So, when did you two meet?" Beca said.

"Actually we met back in the Summer of 2016 at the Lodge of Fallen Leaves," Chad said.

"Chad was looking around for a place to stay just to get away from his house. While we got to talking, it turned out we have much in common..." Aubrey said.

"For example, we both have fathers in the military," Chad said.

"And we both really enjoy singing," Aubrey added.

"So how long have you two been engaged?" Flo asked.

"He proposed to me on New Year's, right after we counted down to the start of 2017. We shared a midnight kiss, and then he popped the question," Aubrey said.

"And we couldn't be happier," Chad said.

"So...when's the wedding?" Beca asked.

"Three months. I'm really excited about it and I know she is too," Chad said.

"I'm so happy for you two," Chloe said. "Can I be a bridesmaid for your wedding? PLEASE?"

"Well, funny you should bring that up; I was hoping I could get five of you Bellas to be my bridesmaids," Aubrey said.

"Well, you got me," Chloe said. "What about you, Beca?"

"Hmmm...why not. It'll be great," Beca said.

Stacie, Amy, and Flo also agreed to be bridesmaids as well.

"Great. Thank you all, I can assure you that this will be a wedding to remember," Aubrey said.

At that point, Emily arrived with the new batch of Barden Bellas. Before the new Bellas took the stage for their rendition of "Sit Still, Look Pretty". Emily cleared up that the invites she sent

were not for the graduated Bellas to reunite on stage, but to watch the new Bellas sing.

* * *

After the performance, the Bellas met up at a bar and Emily found them.

When Emily found them, "You guys, I'm so sorry. I realized I shouldn't have said 'reunion."

"Hey, don't worry about it; you girls sounded great out there tonight," Beca said.

"I miss the days when we all sang together. I would KILL to get that back again," Chloe said.

"Well, look at the bright side; at least we got to see each other again," Beca said.

"We could look for a place that has an open mic night," Flo suggested.

"As much as I like that idea, I think Aubrey and I might have a better one," Chad said.

"You know how my dad's a big deal in the Army?" Aubrey asked. "I could try to get us on the USO Tour to entertain the troops."

"This year DJ Khaled is looking for an opening act for his summer tour and he'll be choosing ONE of the acts on the tour," Chad added.

"I'm definitely on board with this idea," Beca said.

"Me too. It'll be great to sing with all of you again," Chloe said as the other Bellas agreed.

"I wish I could go with you," Stacie said, disappointed.

"Why can't you?" Beca asked.

"I'm eight months pregnant, don't you remember?" Stacie asked.

"Oh, yeah. I forgot about that for a minute. Well if Stacie's out...Emily, you in?" Beca asked.

"Totally!" Emily said, feeling excited.

"I hope you ladies won't mind Chad coming with us," Aubrey said.

"Are you kidding?! Of course he can come with us," Chloe said.

"Yeah. He's your fiance, if he wants to come, we should be good sports and include him," Beca said as the other Bellas agreed.

"Thank you so much, ladies. I couldn't STAND the idea of being away from my fiance for a month," Chad said.

"So if we get on this tour, when do we leave?" Flo asked.

"Chad and I will get the details and get back to you all," Aubrey said.

"I have a feeling this will be a month to remember," Chad said as the Bellas gave a toast.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so we may still be in the timeline of the third movie, but we're breaking away from the movie scenes for just a brief moment. We'll be back to the movie scenes once Aubrey & Chad meet up with the rest of the Bellas in Spain.

Five days later, Chad and Aubrey's alarm clock rang.

"Morning, Aubrey," Chad said, yawning.

Aubrey stretched and looked at her fiance, "Morning, Chad."

"Let's go; we got a flight to catch in six hours," Chad said.

"Chad, it's only six in the morning," Aubrey said.

"First of all, you say that like you don't remember the fact that I'm up at 6 a.m. every day. Secondly, since it's an international flight, we need to show up at the airport three hours in advance," Chad said.

"Fine! Just give me a moment," Aubrey said.

"Very well. I'm gonna go take a quick shower and then make some breakfast," Chad said.

* * *

One hour later, Aubrey headed down to the kitchen where Chad had finished making breakfast.

"Hmm, do I smell scrambled eggs?" Aubrey asked.

"Sure do, babe," Chad said as he gave Aubrey a plate of eggs.

"I got to say, I definitely enjoy your cooking," Aubrey said.

"Thanks, babe," Chad said as they both finished their breakfast.

"Alright, I'll go take a quick shower. You all set to head for the airport?" Aubrey asked.

"I'm gonna go load our luggage in the rental car while you're in the shower. We should be all ready to go soon," Chad said.

By eight in the morning, Chad and Aubrey were on their way to the airport to catch their flight to Spain and meet up with the other Bellas. By noon, their plane was in the sky. They had a layover in London which lasted about a good two hours. The following morning, they and the rest of the Bellas landed in Spain.


	8. Chapter 8

Once the Bellas landed in Spain, they were greeted by two men in uniform.

“Bellas, welcome to Rota, Spain. My name is Chicago and this is my associate Zeke. We’ll be your escorts for the USO Tour and we’re glad to have you with us,” he said before noticing something familiar to him. “Hey, is it me or does that gentleman look familiar?” He asked as Chad removed his shades. “Chad Donaldson? Is that really you?”

“C-Man! Hey buddy I haven’t seen you in, like forever!” Chad exclaimed as he and Chicago greeted and high fived each other.

“C-Man?” Aubrey asked, questioned by the nickname.

“Oh, yeah. Aubrey, Bellas, meet Chicago Walp. He and I were Tampa University Class of 2011. And the summer after we graduated is when he enlisted,” Chad explained.

“I never would’ve guessed,” Aubrey said.

“It’s nice to see you again, man. As long as we’re here, you and I need to catch up,” Chad said.

“There will be plenty of time for that later. But right now, let’s you guys to soundcheck,” Chicago said.

The Bellas and Chad followed Chicago and Zeke into the Hanger for soundcheck where they met their competition which consisted of something the Bellas were not used to, bands who use actual instruments. These bands included Saddle Up, Evermoist, and Young Sparrow.

After soundcheck, Chicago and Zeke drove the Bellas and Chad to their hotel. Upon check-in, Chad found the perfect opportunity to catch up with Chicago.

“So, how’s life in the National Guard treating you?” Chad asked.

“I really enjoy it. But at the same time, I often miss life back home,” Chicago said.

“I’ll bet. After you enlisted I thought I’d never see you again,” Chad said.

“And look what happened,” Chicago said.

“Right?!” Chad said.

Meanwhile…

“So, Emily is it true you’re not writing anymore?” Aubrey asked.

“Well, I’m just taking a break for now. I know once this tour is over, I’ll be up late getting caught up on schoolwork so I can graduate this spring,” Emily said.

“Well, promise me you won’t forget about it. My dad always says ‘Age wrinkles the body…’” Aubrey said.

“...But quitting wrinkles the soul,” Chad added.

“I forgot I told you that one,” Aubrey said.

“If there was any quote of your dad’s that you’ve told me, I would remember them. Say, before I forget...if I’m going to be hanging around with you and the other Bellas, it’d be nice to know all of their names,” Chad said.

“And you’d like me to introduce them to you?” Aubrey asked.

“If you don’t mind,” Chad said.

“Gladly. Ladies, can you come here for a second?” Aubrey said as they all did so. “Okay, Chad this is Chloe, Jessica, Lily, Cynthia-Rose, Fat Amy, Ashley, Beca, Flo, and Emily.”

“Nice to officially know all of your names…” Chad said before realizing...“Wait a minute, did you say ‘Fat Amy?’”

“Yeah, so people like you don’t do it behind my back,” Amy said as Chad pondered what she said.

“I think I’ll refer to you as Amy,” Chad said as Amy gave an approving thumbs up.

Just then, the front desk clerk gave Chad and the Bellas their room keys and headed up to their rooms.

Later, the Bellas and Chad joined together in one of the rooms while Jessica and Ashley brought boxes of chocolate inside for the group to share.

“So, we’ve never competed against bands that use actual instruments. So, what’s the plan?” Beca asked.

“If I may...you ladies have a gift that those bands don’t have. You’re able to sing together in acapella and harmonize perfectly. Take that as a bonus compared to what they can do,” Chad said.

“He does have a point,” Chloe said.

Later that evening, all the groups took to the stage for their performances with the Bellas scheduled to go on last. For the Bellas performance, everything went just fine until they were interrupted by hearing “Taps” over the loudspeaker.

Back at the hotel room, Emily pitched an idea to the Bellas to go see DJ Khaled over at the casino across the street to show him that they’re not a joke and they go along with it.


	9. Chapter 9

A few hours after their performance, the Bellas and Chad headed to a casino where DJ Khaled could be found.

"Alright, everyone. Let's split up, divide and conquer. Chad, Lily, you're with me," Aubrey said.

Just then, Chloe noticed someone Beca met backstage earlier that day.

"There's that guy. Hide!" Chloe said as she shoved Beca behind a plant.

"Why are we hiding?" Beca asked just seconds before she noticed Chloe groping her. "Um, dude...what is this?"

"What are you guys doing?" Aubrey asked, noticing what was going on.

"Nothing!" Beca and Chloe responded trying to cover up what just happened.

"Should I be concerned?" Chad asked, silently to Aubrey.

"Not really," Aubrey said, silently back to Chad.

"Hey, Chad...can I talk to you about something?" Beca asked.

"Sure," Chad said before he motioned to Aubrey. "Excuse me, babe."

Beca and Chad went to sit down at a nearby table.

"So, what's on your mind?" Chad asked.

"I was just wondering...how do you put up with Aubrey?" Beca asked.

"Uh, can you elaborate?" Chad asked, confused by Beca's question.

"Well, when I was a freshman at Barden, she was captain of the Bellas and was pretty much set in her ways," Beca explained. "But she became a better person not long after I joined."

"Wow. That's an interesting story. I know Aubrey's told me a lot of interesting stories about the Bellas. She even told me about how her tight-fisted personality comes from her father," Chad said. "But if you want my two cents, here's what I think: You know she's a better person now, right?" He asked.

"Yeah," Beca said.

"And she's convinced me all the time we've been together that she's a better person as well. So, I guess what I'm trying to say is, don't let the past cloud your judgment of her today," Chad said as Aubrey found him and Beca.

"What are you guys talking about?" Aubrey asked.

"Hey, babe. Beca was filling me in on another interesting story about the Bellas," Chad said.

"Oh yeah, there's a lot of stories where that came from," Aubrey said.

At that point, Theo (a young man who worked for DJ Khaled) found Beca and took her to look at a mixer which she had some fun playing around with. While Beca was busy with the mixer, the other Bellas spent time mingling. when Aubrey accidentally knocked over a lit candelabra. That accident created chaos which caused a fire to start as well as an apiary full of bees to escape which DJ Khaled kept in his suite. Beca was still busy with the mixer unaware of the chaos going on behind her, but she and the others eventually made it out okay.

* * *

The next morning, the Bellas are outside their hotel with their luggage about to head to the next stop on the tour. While sitting outside they look back on the chaos from the previous night while being teased by their competition.

"Next time, when you're trying to impress DJ Khaled, try to have some dignity," Calamity said.

"Would you get out of here?!" Chad yelled, annoyed.

After the other bands left, Chad took a moment to calm down before standing to address the Bellas.

"Guys, you can't let what happened last night get you down. If DJ Khaled doesn't pick you ladies to open for him, it won't be because of what happened last night. So, let's buck up and get ready for the next show," Chad said.

"Chad's right. We shouldn't let one mishap get in the way of what we came here to do," Emily said.

"Yep. And don't listen to what your competition just said. They're just trying to get inside your head. What really matters is that we all stay true to ourselves," Chad said as the Bellas agreed.

At that point, Chloe got a FaceTime request from Stacie. Turns out Stacie's new baby girl named Bella was just born.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's worth noting that the first scene of this chapter was actually written the night before this chapter got posted. I also would like to thank RizzV825 for suggesting the idea for the first scene of this chapter.

About two weeks later in France, the Bellas and Chad arrived at their hotel. Chad saw Aubrey looking out the window feeling sad and went to talk to her.

"You okay, babe?" Chad asked, concerned.

"Honestly...I'm rather bummed. I was really hoping I could get to see my dad and to be totally honest, he never once got to see me perform with the Bellas. I really miss him," Aubrey said, tearfully.

"Babe, I know how you feel. I miss my dad too. You know, he actually enlisted about a month before I met you that day at the Lodge," Chad said

"I never thought that day would change my life forever," Aubrey said, looking back.

"I know. I wrote a letter to him once after I proposed to you. He told me he was very happy for me," Chad said.

"Well, that's a good thing. I was really hoping my dad would be there to give me away at the wedding," Aubrey said.

"Not a day passes where you don't think about him?" Chad asked.

"Yeah. I also wrote to him when we got engaged, I just hope to see him again soon," Aubrey said.

"You know, if by some chance we do get to meet each other's fathers before this tour is over, it'd be a happy moment for both of us," Chad said.

"Yeah." Aubrey agreed. "How's your mom been coping since your dad's been away?"

"She's been seeing a therapist. Not a day goes by where she doesn't think about him. When I told my mom we were getting married, she was very happy for me. It was the first time I actually saw her smile since my dad enlisted," Chad said.

"You know, even if our dads aren't at our wedding, they'll still be there in spirit," Aubrey said.

"And we'll always have each other no matter what. Come on, let's go find the rest of the Bellas," Chad said.

* * *

**WARNING: The remainder of this chapter contains kidnapping and hostage situations.**

Later that day, the Bellas and Chad minus Beca and Amy were sitting outside at a French Cafe.

"Bellas, a toast. They say home is where the heart is, but you guys are the homes my heart lives in," Chloe said as the Bellas toasted.

At that point, a Frenchman walked up.

"Excuse me, but are you the Bellas," he asked as the Bellas all responded yes.

"My name is Henri; Chicago sent me to take you to the USO reception," he said.

"Reception? It's now?" Aubrey asked.

"Shouldn't we find our friends Beca and Amy first?" Chloe asked.

"Oh, they're already there. With Chicago," Henri said.

"Then let's not keep this handsome Frenchman waiting," Flo said.

But just as the group approached Henri's van, Chad had a concern and felt obliged to speak up.

"Uh, ladies, do you really think this is safe?" Chad asked, suspicious.

"Oh, come on, he's offering us a free ride, and he says Chicago sent him," Aubrey said.

"Yeah, but I think Chicago would've mentioned him," Chad fired back.

"Are you sure you're not coming?" Aubrey asked.

"If he's really taking you to this 'reception', I'll meet you there later," Chad said, reluctantly.

As the Bellas made their way into Henri's van, they began their rendition of "Cake By the Ocean".

After the van drove off, Chad noticed a local with a bicycle built for two and summoned him. "Excuse me, sir...can you give me a lift?" He asked the bicyclist.

"Where to?" The bicyclist asked.

"Follow that van!" Chad said.

"Why?" The bicyclist asked.

"I'll explain on the way. Let's go!" Chad said as they began to follow the van a long way.

As the Bellas continued singing, they were unaware of what was happening.

Thirty minutes later, they arrived at a nearby marina. The bicyclist stopped at a nearby corner so he and Chad would not be spotted.

Chad took out a pair of binoculars so he could see what was happening.

"Do you see anything?" The bicyclist asked.

"Not yet," Chad said just before he noticed the van being transported on to a boat. "I KNEW IT! I knew there was something suspicious about that van. Henri must've been hired by someone to kidnap them, but who? I got to go warn Beca and Amy. Sir, take me back!" He said as they both headed back to the hotel.

* * *

Back at the hotel, Amy re-entered her room and noticed a pink bunny on her bed, as Chad banged on the door.

"Coming!" Amy said as she opened the door to let Chad in.

"Amy, where's Beca?" Chad asked. "We have a situation!"

"I don't know. She's been gone for a while now." Amy said. "What's wrong?"

"I saw the other Bellas get into a dark-colored van. Based on the dark tinted windows, I sensed something suspicious. So I had this guy with a bicycle built for two follow that van and when I saw the van being carried onto a boat, I knew at that point my suspicions were correct," Chad recapped.

" _My father could've done this_!" Amy thought as her phone rang.

"Hello?" She said.

"Hello, Patricia," Fergus, Amy's father, said.

"I told you we were through," Amy said.

"Well, there are some people here who think you should really reconsider," Fergus said as the Bellas being held hostage yelled for help.

"Amy, who is it?" Chad asked.

"It's my father. He's got the Bellas hostage on his yacht," Amy said.

"Put it on speaker," Chad said as Amy did so.

"Now you listen here, mister, if you don't let my fiance and her friends go, you are NEVER going to hear the end of it! Am I clear?!" Chad yelled.

"You clearly weren't with them were ya?" Fergus asked.

"Oh, I was with them. But I declined to board that van due to my suspicions. And guess what; looks like my suspicions were CORRECT!" Chad said.

"You have one hour to come to the boat," Fergus said.

"Oh, we'll be seeing you WAY sooner than that. Ta-Ta!" Chad said as Amy hung up.

At that point, Beca walked into the room.

"Hey, Amy," Beca said.

"Beca, glad you're here. There's no time to waste, we got to hurry!" Chad said.

"Where?" Beca asked.

"I'll explain on the way. Let's go!" Chad said.

"Wait, let me get a flashlight!" Amy said.

"Good call, it's after dark. Hurry!" Chad said as they exited the room.


End file.
